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School redistricting on to next phase
Some changes from first draft
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Forsyth County News

Other business:

Also during Thursday’s work session, the Forsyth County school board heard presentations on:

• The proposed 2012-13 school year calendar. Associate Superintendent Joey Pirkle said he had “received a lot of positive feedback” on the draft.

Some changes, which he presented, included adding another student holiday on Dec. 21, making winter break longer, and shifting an inclement weather day from March 18 to 29, which could mean an additional day for spring break.

Public feedback will be taken on the second draft through Oct. 28, and the board likely will approve a final calendar Nov. 17.

• The system’s strategic plan. Jennifer Caracciolo, director of communications, pointed to a number of goals reached in the past year.

More information on the system’s strategic plan can be found on the system’s Web site.

— Crystal Ledford

School leaders have taken another step toward shifting attendance zones for the 2012-13 year.

The Forsyth County Board of Education reviewed revised drafts of the proposed district lines during a work session Thursday.

The shifts are needed to make room for Kelly Mill Elementary School, which is set to open in August, and to balance high school populations.

North and West Forsyth high schools are over capacity, while Forsyth Central is below.

School leaders also hope to better streamline feeder patterns as students move from elementary to middle to high schools.

Associate Superintendent Joey Pirkle presented suggested changes to the first proposed maps during the work session.

School councils at the affected campuses offered input last month on the first drafts of the maps, which affect the northern and western areas of the county.

“We got a lot of feedback from [them] on draft one, and the committee came together and made changes based on that feedback,” Pirkle said.

He said some of the schools that will see changes in the second draft include Cumming, Sawnee and Kelly Mill elementary schools.

Others affected include North Forsyth, Little Mill and Otwell middle schools, as well as North Forsyth and Forsyth Central high schools.

Most of the changes were made to more evenly distribute students throughout the schools impacted, he said.

Pirkle said the public will have a chance to review the proposed maps and provide feedback on the school system’s Web site, www.forsyth.k12.ga.us, through Oct. 31.

Two public hearings will also be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 and 27 at Forsyth Central High School.

The first hearing will be for the affected elementary and middle schools, and the second for the high schools.

Board Chairman Tom Cleveland said he knows redistricting can be a difficult process for students and families, but praised the method the school system uses.

“This is the best process for this, and we do try to give everybody a way to provide us feedback,” he said.

Staff members will compile all of the feedback from the public hearings and Web site and present it to the board Nov. 3.

Third drafts of maps, incorporating that feedback, will also be presented.

Board members will then review the drafts and feedback and discuss final lines Nov. 10. A week later, they could give final approval to the maps.